AB244: Bill Text

AB244, s. 35 Section 35. 70.111 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 36 Section 36. 70.112 (1), (5) and (6) of the statutes are repealed.

AB244, s. 37 Section 37. 70.112 (4) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,14,13 70.112 (4) (b) If real or tangible personal property is used more than 50% 50 percent, as determined by the department of revenue, in the operation of a telephone company that is subject to the tax imposed under s. 76.81, the department of revenue shall assess the property and that property shall be exempt from the general property taxes imposed under this chapter. If real or tangible personal property is used less than 50% 50 percent, as determined by the department of revenue, in the operation of a telephone company that is subject to the tax imposed under s. 76.81, the taxation district in which the property is located shall assess the property and that property shall be subject to the general property taxes imposed under this chapter.

AB244, s. 38 Section 38. 70.13 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 39 Section 39. 70.14 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 40 Section 40. 70.15 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 41 Section 41. 70.17 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,15,2 70.17 (1) Real property shall be entered in the name of the owner, if known to the assessor, otherwise to the occupant thereof if ascertainable, and otherwise without any name. The person holding the contract or certificate of sale of any real property contracted to be sold by the state, but not conveyed, shall be deemed the owner for such purpose. The undivided real estate of any deceased person may be entered to the heirs of such person without designating them by name. The real estate of an incorporated company shall be entered in the same manner as that of an individual. Improvements on leased lands may shall be assessed either as real property or personal property.

AB244, s. 42 Section 42. 70.174 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,15,8 70.174 Improvements on government-owned land. Improvements made by any person on land within this state owned by the United States may shall be assessed either as real or personal property to the person making the same improvements, if ascertainable, and otherwise to the occupant thereof of the improvements or the person receiving benefits therefrom from the improvements.

AB244, s. 43 Section 43. 70.18 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 44 Section 44. 70.19 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 45 Section 45. 70.20 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 46 Section 46. 70.21 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 47 Section 47. 70.22 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 48 Section 48. 70.29 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 49 Section 49. 70.30 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 50 Section 50. 70.34 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 51 Section 51. 70.345 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 52 Section 52. 70.35 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 53 Section 53. 70.36 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 54 Section 54. 70.365 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,16,14 70.365 Notice of changed assessment. When the assessor assesses any taxable real property, or any improvements taxed as personal property under s. 77.84 (1), and arrives at a different total than the assessment of it for the previous year, the assessor shall notify the person assessed if the address of the person is known to the assessor, otherwise the occupant of the property. The notice shall be in writing and shall be sent by ordinary mail at least 15 days before the meeting of the board of review or before the meeting of the board of assessors in 1st class cities and in 2nd class cities that have a board of assessors under s. 70.075 and shall contain the amount of the changed assessment and the time, date and place of the meeting of the local board of review or of the board of assessors. However, if the assessment roll is not complete, the notice shall be sent by ordinary mail at least 15 days prior to the date to which the board of review has adjourned. The assessor shall attach to the assessment roll a statement that the notices required by this section have been mailed and failure to receive the notice shall not affect the validity of the changed assessment, the resulting changed tax, the procedures of the board of review or of the board of assessors or the enforcement of delinquent taxes by statutory means. The secretary of revenue shall by rule prescribe the form of the notice required under this section. The form shall include information notifying the taxpayer of the procedures to be used to object to the assessment.

AB244, s. 55 Section 55. 70.40 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,16,18 70.40 (5) All laws not in conflict with this section relating to the assessment, collection and payment of personal property taxes and the correction of errors in assessment and tax rolls, shall apply to the tax imposed in this section.

AB244, s. 56 Section 56. 70.41 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,16,23 70.41 (5) Taxation statutes applicable to grain storage taxation. All laws not in conflict with this section relating to the assessment, collection and payment of personal property taxes, the correction of errors in assessment and tax rolls, shall apply to the tax imposed under this section.

AB244, s. 57 Section 57. 70.42 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,17,3 70.42 (5) All laws not in conflict with this section relating to the assessment, collection and payment of personal property taxes, the correction of errors in assessment and tax rolls, shall apply to the tax imposed under this section.

AB244, s. 58 Section 58. 70.421 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,17,11 70.421 (1) Every person operating a crude oil refinery in this state, shall on or before January 31 of each year pay an annual occupation tax of a sum equal to 5 cents per ton upon all crude oil handled during the preceding year ending April 30 except that as of December 15, 1979, such tax shall apply to the year ending the December 31 which is 2 years prior to the payment due date. All such crude oil so handled and all petroleum products refined therefrom, in the possession of the refinery, shall be exempt from all personal property taxation, either state or municipal.

AB244, s. 59 Section 59. 70.421 (5) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,17,15 70.421 (5) All laws not in conflict with this section relating to the assessment, collection and payment of personal property taxes and the correction of errors in assessment and tax rolls, shall apply to the tax herein imposed.

AB244, s. 60 Section 60. 70.43 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,17,23 70.43 (2) If the assessor discovers a palpable error in the assessment of a tract of real estate or an item of personal property that results in the tract or property having an inaccurate assessment for the preceding year, the assessor shall correct that error by adding to or subtracting from the assessment for the preceding year. The result shall be the true assessed value of the property for the preceding year. The assessor shall make a marginal note of the correction on that year's assessment roll.

AB244, s. 61 Section 61. 70.44 (1) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,18,9 70.44 (1) Real or personal property omitted from assessment in any of the 2 next previous years, unless previously reassessed for the same year or years, shall be entered once additionally for each previous year of such omission, designating each such additional entry as omitted for the year of omission and affixing a just valuation to each entry for a former year as the same should then have been assessed according to the assessor's best judgment, and taxes shall be apportioned, using the net tax rate as provided in s. 70.43, and collected on the tax roll for such entry. This section shall not apply to manufacturing property assessed by the department of revenue under s. 70.995.

AB244, s. 62 Section 62. 70.47 (7) (aa) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,18,14 70.47 (7) (aa) No person shall be allowed to appear before the board of review, to testify to the board by telephone or to contest the amount of any assessment of real or personal property if the person has refused a reasonable written request by certified mail of the assessor to view such property.

AB244, s. 63 Section 63. 70.47 (14) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,18,22 70.47 (14) Tax payments. In the event the board of review has not completed its review or heard an objection to an assessment on real or personal property prior to the date the taxes predicated upon such assessment are due, or in the event there is an appeal as provided in sub. (13) and s. 74.37 from the correction of the board of review to the court, the time for payment of such taxes as levied is the same as provided in ch. 74 and if not paid in the time prescribed, such taxes are delinquent and subject to the same provisions as other delinquent taxes.

AB244, s. 64 Section 64. 70.47 (15) of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 65 Section 65. 70.47 (16) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,19,23 70.47 (16) (a) In 1st class cities all objections to the amount or valuation of real or personal property shall be first made in writing and filed with the commissioner of assessments on or before the 3rd Monday in May. No person may, in any action or proceeding, question the amount or valuation of real or personal property in the assessment rolls of the city unless objections have been so filed. The board may not waive the requirement that objections be in writing. Persons who own land and improvements to that land may object to the aggregate valuation of that land and improvements to that land, but no person who owns land and improvements to that land may object only to the valuation of that land or only to the valuation of improvements to that land. If the objections have been investigated by a committee of the board of assessors under s. 70.07 (6), the board of review may adopt the recommendation of the committee unless the objector requests or the board orders a hearing. At least 2 days' notice of the time fixed for the hearing shall be given to the objector or attorney and to the city attorney of the city. The provisions of the statutes relating to boards of review not inconsistent with this subsection apply to proceedings before the boards of review of 1st class cities, except that the board need not adjourn until the assessment roll is completed by the commissioner of assessments, as required in s. 70.07 (6), but may immediately hold hearings on objections filed with the commissioner of assessments, and the changes, corrections and determinations made by the board acting within its powers shall be prima facie correct. Appeal from the determination shall be by an action for certiorari commenced within 90 days after the taxpayer receives the notice under sub. (12). The action shall be given preference.

AB244, s. 66 Section 66. 70.48 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,20,19 70.48 Assessor to attend board of review. The assessor or the assessor's authorized representative shall attend without order or subpoena all hearings before the board of review and under oath submit to examination and fully disclose to the board such information as the assessor may have touching the assessment and any other matters pertinent to the inquiry being made. All part-time assessors shall receive the same compensation for such attendance as is allowed to the members of the board but no county assessor or member of a county assessor's staff shall receive any compensation other than that person's regular salary for attendance at a board of review. The clerk shall make all corrections to the assessment roll ordered by the board of review, including all changes in the valuation of real property. When any valuation of real property is changed the clerk shall enter the valuation fixed by the board in red ink in the proper class above the figures of the assessor, and the figures of the assessor shall be crossed out with red ink. The clerk shall also enter upon the assessment roll, in the proper place, the names of all persons found liable to taxation on personal property by the board of review, setting opposite such names respectively the aggregate valuation of such property as determined by the assessor, after deducting exemptions and making such corrections as the board has ordered. All changes in valuation of personal property made by the board of review shall be made in the same manner as changes in real estate.

AB244, s. 67 Section 67. 70.49 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,20,25 70.49 (2) The value of all real and personal property entered into the assessment roll to which such affidavit is attached by the assessor shall, in all actions and proceedings involving such values, be presumptive evidence that all such properties have been justly and equitably assessed in proper relationship to each other.

AB244, s. 68 Section 68. 70.50 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,21,10 70.50 Delivery of roll. Except in counties that have a county assessment system under s. 70.99 and in cities of the 1st class and in 2nd class cities that have a board of assessors under s. 70.075 the assessor shall, on or before the first Monday in May, deliver the completed assessment roll and all the sworn statements and valuations of personal property to the clerk of the town, city or village, who shall file and preserve them in the clerk's office. On or before the first Monday in April, a county assessor under s. 70.99 shall deliver the completed assessment roll and all sworn statements and valuations of personal property to the clerks of the towns, cities and villages in the county, who shall file and preserve them in the clerk's office.

AB244, s. 69 Section 69. 70.52 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,21,22 70.52 Clerks to examine and correct rolls. Each city, village, and town clerk upon receipt of the assessment roll shall carefully examine the roll. The clerk shall correct all double assessments, imperfect descriptions and other errors apparent upon the face of the roll, and strike off all parcels of real property not liable to taxation. The clerk shall add to the roll any parcel of real property or item of personal property omitted by the assessors and immediately notify the assessors of the omissions. The assessors shall immediately view and value the omitted property and certify the valuation to the clerk. The clerk shall enter the valuation upon the roll, and the valuation shall be final. To enable the clerk to properly correct defective descriptions, the clerk may request aid, when necessary, from the county surveyor, whose fees for the services rendered shall be paid by the city, village, or town.

AB244, s. 70 Section 70. 70.53 (1) (a) of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 71 Section 71. 70.555 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,22,5 70.555 Provisions directory. The directions herein given for the assessing of lands and personal property and levying and collecting taxes shall be deemed directory only, and no error or informality in the proceedings of any of the officers entrusted with the same, not affecting the substantial justice of the tax, shall vitiate or in anywise affect the validity of such tax or assessment.

AB244, s. 72 Section 72. 70.64 (3) (c) of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 73 Section 73. 70.65 (2) (a) (intro.) and 1. of the statutes are consolidated, renumbered 70.65 (2) (a) and amended to read:

AB244,22,11 70.65 (2) (a) As shown on the assessment roll: 1. Identify, identify all the real property within the taxation district and, with respect to each description of real property, the name and address of the owner and the assessed value.

AB244, s. 74 Section 74. 70.65 (2) (a) 2. of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 75 Section 75. 70.65 (2) (b) (intro.) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,22,15 70.65 (2) (b) (intro.) With respect to each description of real property and each owner of taxable personal property:

AB244, s. 76 Section 76. 70.68 of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 77 Section 77. 70.73 (1) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,22,23 70.73 (1) (b) If a town, village or city clerk or treasurer discovers that personal property has been assessed to the wrong person, or 2 or more parcels of land belonging to different persons have been erroneously assessed together on the tax roll, the clerk or treasurer shall notify the assessor and all parties interested, if the parties are residents of the county, by notice in writing to appear at the clerk's office at some time, not less than 5 days thereafter, to correct the assessment roll.

AB244, s. 78 Section 78. 70.73 (1) (c) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,23,6 70.73 (1) (c) At the time and place designated in the notice given under par. (b), the assessment roll shall be corrected by entering the correct names of the persons liable to assessment, both as to real and personal property, describing each parcel of land and giving the proper valuation to each parcel separately owned. The total valuation given to the separate tracts of real estate shall be equal to the valuation given to the same property when the several parcels were assessed together.

AB244, s. 79 Section 79. 70.73 (1) (d) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,23,12 70.73 (1) (d) The valuation of parcels of land or correction of names of persons whose personal property is assessed under this subsection may be made at any time before the tax roll is returned to the county treasurer for the year in which the tax is levied. The valuation or correction of names, when made under this subsection, shall be held just and correct and be final and conclusive.

AB244, s. 80 Section 80. 70.84 of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,24,8 70.84 Inequalities may be corrected in subsequent year. If any such reassessment cannot be completed in time to take the place of the original assessment made in such district for said year, the clerk of the district shall levy and apportion the taxes for that year upon the basis of the original assessment roll, and when the reassessment is completed the inequalities in the taxes levied under the original assessment shall be remedied and compensated in the levy and apportionment of taxes in such district next following the completion of said reassessment in the following manner: Each tract of real estate, and, as to personal property, each taxpayer, whose tax shall be the tax on which is determined by such reassessment to have been relatively too high, shall be credited a sum equal to the amount of taxes charged on the original assessment in excess of the amount which would have been charged had such reassessment been made in time; and each tract of real estate, and, as to personal property, each taxpayer, whose tax shall be the tax on which is determined by such reassessment to have been relatively too low, shall be charged, in addition to all other taxes, a sum equal to the difference between the amount of taxes charged upon such unequal original assessment and the amount which would have been charged had such reassessment been made in time. The department of revenue, or its authorized agent, shall at any time have access to all assessment and tax rolls herein referred to for the purpose of assisting the local clerk and in order that the results of the reassessment may be carried into effect.

AB244, s. 81 Section 81. 70.995 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,24,24 70.995 (1) (a) In this section "manufacturing property" includes all lands, buildings, structures and other real property used in manufacturing, assembling, processing, fabricating, making or milling tangible personal property for profit. Manufacturing property also includes warehouses, storage facilities and office structures when the predominant use of the warehouses, storage facilities or offices is in support of the manufacturing property, and all personal property owned or used by any person engaged in this state in any of the activities mentioned, and used in the activity, including raw materials, supplies, machinery, equipment, work in process and finished inventory when located at the site of the activity. Establishments engaged in assembling component parts of manufactured products are considered manufacturing establishments if the new product is neither a structure nor other fixed improvement. Materials processed by a manufacturing establishment include products of agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining and quarrying. For the purposes of this section, establishments which engage in mining metalliferous minerals are considered manufacturing establishments.

AB244, s. 82 Section 82. 70.995 (4) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,25,19 70.995 (4) Whenever real property or tangible personal property is used for one, or some combination, of the processes mentioned in sub. (3) and also for other purposes, the department of revenue, if satisfied that there is substantial use in one or some combination of such processes, may assess the property under this section. For all purposes of this section the department of revenue shall have sole discretion for the determination of what is substantial use and what description of real property or what unit of tangible personal property shall constitute "the property" to be included for assessment purposes, and, in connection herewith, the department may include in a real property unit, real property owned by different persons. Vacant property designed for use in manufacturing, assembling, processing, fabricating, making or milling tangible property for profit may be assessed under this section or under s. 70.32 (1), and the period of vacancy may not be the sole ground for making that determination. In those specific instances where a portion of a description of real property includes manufacturing property rented or leased and operated by a separate person which does not satisfy the substantial use qualification for the entire property, the local assessor shall assess the entire real property description and all personal property not exempt under s. 70.11 (27). The applicable portions of the standard manufacturing property report form under sub. (12) as they relate to manufacturing machinery and equipment shall be submitted by such person.

AB244, s. 83 Section 83. 70.995 (7) (b) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,25,24 70.995 (7) (b) Each 5 years, or more frequently if the department of revenue's workload permits and if in the department's judgment it is desirable, the department of revenue shall complete a field investigation or on-site appraisal at full value under ss. s. 70.32 (1) and 70.34 of all manufacturing property in this state.

AB244, s. 84 Section 84. 70.995 (8) (b) 1. of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,26,15 70.995 (8) (b) 1. The department of revenue shall annually notify each manufacturer assessed under this section and the municipality in which the manufacturing property is located of the full value of all real and personal property owned by the manufacturer. The notice shall be in writing and shall be sent by 1st class mail or electronic mail. In addition, the notice shall specify that objections to valuation, amount, or taxability must be filed with the state board of assessors within 60 days of issuance of the notice of assessment, that objections to a change from assessment under this section to assessment under s. 70.32 (1) must be filed within 60 days after receipt of the notice, that the fee under par. (c) 1. or (d) must be paid and that the objection is not filed until the fee is paid. A statement shall be attached to the assessment roll indicating that the notices required by this section have been mailed and failure to receive the notice does not affect the validity of the assessments, the resulting tax on real or personal property, the procedures of the tax appeals commission or of the state board of assessors, or the enforcement of delinquent taxes by statutory means.

AB244, s. 85 Section 85. 70.995 (12) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,27,13 70.995 (12) (a) The department of revenue shall prescribe a standard manufacturing property report form that shall be submitted annually for each real estate parcel and each personal property account on or before March 1 by all manufacturers whose property is assessed under this section. The report form shall contain all information considered necessary by the department and shall include, without limitation, income and operating statements, fixed asset schedules and a report of new construction or demolition. Failure to submit the report shall result in denial of any right of redetermination by the state board of assessors or the tax appeals commission. If any property is omitted or understated in the assessment roll in any of the next 5 previous years, the assessor shall enter the value of the omitted or understated property once for each previous year of the omission or understatement. The assessor shall affix a just valuation to each entry for a former year as it should have been assessed according to the assessor's best judgment. Taxes shall be apportioned and collected on the tax roll for each entry, on the basis of the net tax rate for the year of the omission, taking into account credits under s. 79.10. In the case of omitted property, interest shall be added at the rate of 0.0267% 0.0267 percent per day for the period of time between the date when the form is required to be submitted and the date when the assessor affixes the just valuation. In the case of underpayments determined after an objection under s. 70.995 (8) (d), interest shall be added at the average annual discount interest rate determined by the last auction of 6-month U.S. treasury bills before the objection per day for the period of time between the date when the tax was due and the date when it is paid.

AB244, s. 86 Section 86. 70.995 (12r) of the statutes is repealed.

AB244, s. 87 Section 87. 71.17 (2) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,27,25 71.17 (2) Lien on trust estate; income taxes levied against beneficiary. All income taxes levied against the income of beneficiaries shall be a lien on that portion of the trust estate or interest therein from which the income taxed is derived, and such taxes shall be paid by the fiduciary, if not paid by the distributee, before the same become delinquent. Every person who, as a fiduciary under the provisions of this subchapter, pays an income tax shall have all the rights and remedies of reimbursement for any taxes assessed against him or her or paid by him or her in such capacity, as provided in s. 70.19 (1) and (2) has a right of action against the beneficiary for whom the tax is paid and has a lien on the beneficiary's property for the amount of the taxes paid.

AB244, s. 88 Section 88. 71.52 (7) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,29,24 71.52 (7) "Property taxes accrued" means real or personal property taxes or monthly parking permit fees under s. 66.0435 (3) (c), exclusive of special assessments, delinquent interest and charges for service, levied on a homestead owned by the claimant or a member of the claimant's household. "Real or personal property taxes" means those levied under ch. 70, less the tax credit, if any, afforded in respect of such property by s. 79.10. If a homestead is owned by 2 or more persons or entities as joint tenants or tenants in common or is owned as marital property or survivorship marital property and one or more such persons, entities or owners is not a member of the claimant's household, property taxes accrued is that part of property taxes accrued levied on such homestead, reduced by the tax credit under s. 79.10, that reflects the ownership percentage of the claimant and the claimant's household, except that if a homestead is owned by 2 or more natural persons or if 2 or more natural persons have an interest in a homestead, one or more of whom is not a member of the claimant's household, and the claimant has a present interest, as that term is used in s. 700.03 (1), in the homestead and is required by the terms of a will that transferred the homestead or interest in the homestead to the claimant to pay the entire amount of property taxes levied on the homestead, property taxes accrued is property taxes accrued levied on such homestead, reduced by the tax credit under s. 79.10. A marital property agreement or unilateral statement under ch. 766 has no effect in computing property taxes accrued for a person whose homestead is not the same as the homestead of that person's spouse. For purposes of this subsection, property taxes are "levied" when the tax roll is delivered to the local treasurer for collection. If a homestead is sold or purchased during the calendar year of the levy, the property taxes accrued for the seller and the buyer are the amount of the tax levy prorated to each in proportion to the periods of time each both owned and occupied the homestead during the year to which the claim relates. The seller may use the closing agreement pertaining to the sale of the homestead, the property tax bill for the year before the year to which the claim relates or the property tax bill for the year to which the claim relates as the basis for computing property taxes accrued, but those taxes are allowable only for the portion of the year during which the seller owned and occupied the sold homestead. If a household owns and occupies 2 or more homesteads in the same calendar year, property taxes accrued is the sum of the prorated property taxes accrued attributable to the household for each of such homesteads. If the household owns and occupies the homestead for part of the calendar year and rents a homestead for part of the calendar year, it may include both the proration of taxes on the homestead owned and rent constituting property taxes accrued with respect to the months the homestead is rented in computing the amount of the claim under s. 71.54 (1). If a homestead is an integral part of a multipurpose or multidwelling building, property taxes accrued are the percentage of the property taxes accrued on that part of the multipurpose or multidwelling building occupied by the household as a principal residence plus that same percentage of the property taxes accrued on the land surrounding it, not exceeding one acre, that is reasonably necessary for use of the multipurpose or multidwelling building as a principal residence, except as the limitations of s. 71.54 (2) (b) apply. If the homestead is part of a farm, property taxes accrued are the property taxes accrued on up to 120 acres of the land contiguous to the claimant's principal residence and include the property taxes accrued on all improvements to real property located on such land, except as the limitations of s. 71.54 (2) (b) apply.

AB244, s. 89 Section 89. 71.80 (1) (a) of the statutes is amended to read:

AB244,30,4 71.80 (1) (a) The department shall assess incomes as provided in this chapter, and in performance of such duty the department shall possess all powers now or hereafter granted by law to the department in the assessment of personal property and also the power to may estimate incomes.

AB244, s. 90 Section 90. 71.91 (5m) (a) of the statutes is renumbered 71.91 (5m).